Feeler device for looms.



A. E. RHUADES.

FEELEH DEVICE FOR LOOMS APPLICATION FILED 05c. 11, 1915. RENEWED OCT-213.1917.

1,278,802. IatentedS pt.10,1918.

.xfftarrzey.

UNITED STAT ]E S PATENT OFFICE.-

ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDA LE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T DBAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA' T1011 01" MAINE.

FEEDER DEVICE FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17, 1915, Serial No. 67,318. Renewed October 26, 1817. Serial No. 198,740.

, To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, Anonzo E. Because, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, county of Worcester, and State ,a feeler device which contacts with the.

'filling replenishment.

filling in the shuttle as the lay beats up, and when the amount of filling has become sufficiently reduced the feeler device acts through a train of mechanism to initiate In some types of feeler mechanism, the feeler member contacts with and is held from movement longitudinally of the shut tle so long as a working supply of filling is present but is displaced longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling supply is substant-iall y exhausted'or exhausted to a predetermined amount, and such longitudinal displacement is utilized to initiatefilling re [)lHllSlill'llElll). 1

Many disturbing factors are experienced in the practical use of such feeler mechanism, which tend to destroy their accuracy and reliability. Should these disturbing factors cause the filling to become fully exhausted before the fceler mechanism lnlllle ates replenishment. a defectyinythejclo th is:

liable tooccu and thus defeat onei'of the purposes of the feelcr mechanism;- wliile,, on the other hand, should the feelerm echanisin act to effectreplenishment while a working supply of filling yet remains on ,tho, b'sbbin. or carrier in the shuttle, exces sivewaste is produced.

An important feature of the present invent-ion,-therefore, consists in a feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is displaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the contactpressure of the filling carrier or bobbin ivhenj the filling has come substantially ,ex-.

againstyits feeling end '(the impact or prcs- .filling 'on thelbobbin 8 or the impact of the hausted but is positively prevented from such movement during the resence of a normal or working supply 0} filling.

. Another feature of the invention consists in means for freeing the feeler when the filling approaches substantial exhaustion,-

so that thereafter when such substantial exhaustion is reached, the feeler may be moved form of the invention, the lay being indion and the filling cated, as .in front positi practically exhausted; l

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1'; F 1g. 3 is a. plan view showing certain de tails and the relation of parts when there is I a working supply of filling in the shuttle;

Fig. 4 is a sectionon the line H, Fig. 3;

and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5; Fig. 1. The feeler member which is the part that enters the shuttle and feels for the filling,

is represented at 1, and, likeother feeler members, t supported upon-the loom frame in positionto enter ,"it slot 2 inthe shuttle-box 3,.as the lay 4 beats up, Fig, 1,

feel i h registering Openings in the side wa l-pof' a shuttle car receive sure of the exterior of. the wound mass 0 bobbin'itself as the case may be. The feeler member" 1, also, like other feeler members, is mOHJIlZQdj fO-I movement toward th'c front of the -loom.under the impact of the filling In the present in'.

tluen'ce of e' spring' tending .150 move the Ifee'ler nemberf to. rearward position. In the illustrated form of the invrmtion. in this re spect, a spring?! within the stand 1.1 surrounds the stem 13 o1 the slide and has one end seated against the wall L-l. of the stand and the ollu-l end hearing" against. the shoul dcr 15 of the stem 13.

The tecler member 1 is mounted upon the rear portion of the slide it) so that on the heat-up movement of the lay the impact or pressure of the filling in the shutl lo against the feeling .encl ottho teoler will cause the tech-r and slitleto more toward the front. of the looni, and when the lay moves back, the said- )ill'l'S will return to initial position under the influence of the spring 12. To cfli'oct lateral displacement (11 the footer 11101111101. lengthwiseol the shuttle by the contact: pres-- sure when the supply of titling has become substantially exhausted or exhausted to a predetermined amount the footer n'nunher is pirotally n1o|.1nte l at 3) upon the slide 10 and is laterally olfsctl as ilulicated in Fig. 1, so that. the forward impact or mesh of the filling inass upon the 'l'eeler ineinlier may be exerted at one side of the pivot 5], thereby giving the leclor a tendency to swing'ahout its pivot. I

The feeling end 7 of the ,feeler member is ro1|gl1e11edlor serrated in a iuanne'r such that should a- Working supply of filling be presentin the shuttle as th'ejlay moves'for ward on its detecting beat, theengagomont of the filling with the rougl'iened orserratcd 1 end of the teelor member will ordinarily prevent n1ove'1ent of the feeler-nieniber in'a" tl-iroction longitudinally of thetlnittle so that the feeler member; under such conditions will ordinarily not swing about 1t p1v- Qtal inounting'o'n the slide 10. Should the filling have become substantially exhausted however. when the end of thefeeler 1110111 her receives the impact, the roughened or serrated end will strike either the eii' 'uis su'rfaooof thehohhinorhetweon the few re ina ning eoilsot \tl1l1,'- wh ch Wlll permit theend of the feeler member to more longi-' tudin'a'lly of the. shuttleunder the 'fiontward pressure: of the filling carrier as the'la-y'.

eats up.

()peratively associated vwith the. feoler' no'mber' 1 is an actuator, which partakesof the froi'it'wardand rearward movement ot the member and when op'eratiyely positioned ,hyflong'itudinal' movement of the 'feeler 'meInber-upon substantial exhaust-woof the fillingsaid actuator; is adapted .to'initiate filling replenishment. through controlling finea'nsleading--"tl1eret0. 'I-n' the present form of the "invention, the

aet11a-to1-'is former 1 as a finger 16 extendi g frontwaird from: the" pivotal Point 9 of' t ie'f feeler member and provide; 011' its-front edge portion with a notch} 17 forengage- V ment with a controller 18 under oondrtions as Will presently appear;

ate filling replcnislnnent therefore, oontemplates'means for positive] locking the feel'erimember froni-inoveinen longitudinally of the sh'uttlein response; 7 tothe forwardim'pact or push of=the filling:

31 25 roughened or serrated eeleri'en d portion. of w "the-feeler member-,' so long as a suHie-i'ent 'snpply'of fillin is'pr'sont in'the shuttle to;l continue nortna ,Weavirig operation; and 'torelease the feeler member so'that' whentho 130 has become substantially exhaustedand the 15' feeler member 1 is caused to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle byforn'ard push v oriinpact of the filling carri'ei as hereinhe tore described, such teeler member will turn about it pivotal mountii'ig and more the actuator 16 against the force of the spring pressed plunger 20 to position thecnd 17 of said actuator for cngag'eniont with the end 31 ot' the controller 18 as the feeler audactuator areniovcd frontward by further push oi the filling carrier on the feelor member as the lay cmnpletes its froitward mocment.

The controller 18 is pivotally mounted-at Fig: I, and its portion between such pivotal mounting and the end 21 of the con-' troller passes through a slotted cani portion of atransniitt-er 24 p votally mounted at 251 This transmitter a nd the controller 18 may be of usual and Well understood construction and slnce they specifically-fforni no part of the present intention and are well understoodby those skilled in the ai-t,

further clesoription and illustration thereof n'ill he ui1necessai'yg. It i's'siifiieiont to'stat'e that upon frontward: movement of 1116- con troller 18, under the/conditions herinhof-oro described, the-transmitter 24*will be turned ahoutits pi otal mounting-25 and through conditions well understood and which form Owing to the delicacy of the feeler nieehanlsn and the Juan) disturb ng-infl'n; enees that tei'idto destroy its accuracy and .ing norma l; n'eaping operations when a suffiment or working supplyot fillingis. pres;

no part of the present invention', will initil 1'10 reliabil ty of action, iti's desire-l lo that the I t'celer nieniber be positivelyprevented froni' v movement longitudinally of -theshuttle d1.1r.

ent in' the. shuttle, andv that-itnshall b'. 'r e-.'.

lieved from suclrpositivecontrol whenithsupply of fill'ingjapproaohes substantial e xliaustion, but before such substantial exhaus,

ti'on l$ IBttCl1Qdl The present invention.

mass as the layibeatsu in addition to the filling has approached a certain de ree of exhaustion, the feeler member itse f will determine at what time after such release,

filling replenishment should be initiated. In"

other words, after the feeler member has been unlocked by reason of approaching exhaustion, such feeler member will con'-' longitudinally of the shuttle by forward impact or push of the bobbin to initiate filling replenishment, as hereinbefore described. As a convenient form of the invention in V the respects-noted, and to provide a good,

practical form thereof for manufacturing purposes, the slide 10 has secured thereto at Its rear portion, a stand-26, Figs. 2, 4 and 5, from which rises a lug 27, to the top portion of which the feeler member may be ivotally supported at 9 as hereinbefore escribed. The feeler member is carried downward as at 28,, from its pivotal point above the lug 27, topresent its feeler endportionfin proper position for contact with the filling mass upon the shuttle.

The stand 26, which is preferably made separate from and secured to the slide 10, has bearin portions for a stud 29 on which is mounte a rocking feeler lock 30. The feeler lock 30 is extended forward from its pivotal support 29 andhas a locking portion 31 which isadapted to engage the feeler member ,1 frontward of its pivotal mounting 9, the construction being such that when the locking portion 31 is in. the path of movement of the .feeler member portion front of the pivotal mounting 9, such feeler member cannot be moved longitudinally-of the shuttleor turned upon its pivotal mounting by impa'ctor pressure of the filling mass upon. the'end of the feeler member even thoughsome disturbing causes may tend to produce this action. In order that the looking portion 31 of the feeler'lock may be normally held in'loc'king position, the stand 26 rovided with a seat 1n which i'splaced' a, spring 32 underlying the looking end31 of the feeler'lock, the construction beingv end-31 of the feeler.

such that the loclgin V raised, or in locking 'As hereinbefore noted, it is desirable that when the fillingin the shuttle isapproaching substantial exhaustiomthe feeler member be, freed trom control of the feeler look so that.

thereafter, should there still remain sulficient filling in the shuttle to "permit continuance 0 working conditions, the feeler member will be 're 'vented from movement longitudinally o the shuttle :under' the gimpact or pressure'of the filling in the.

shuttle by the serratedlor roughened end -to enterthe opemn thereof engaging the fillin mass, but when the fillin has reached su tantial exhaustlon, the color member may be moved longitudinall the bob in against the end of the feeler member as the lay beats up, to thereby initiate filling replenishment.

To these ends, the feeler lock 30 is provided with an upwardly-projecting portion in which is adjustably mounted a threaded :bolt or stud 33, which may be adjusted to of the shuttle, by the premure of a contact with the front wall of the shuttle 6 when the filling in the shuttle has approached substantial exhaustion. By such contact, the feeler lock will be turned upon itspivotal mountin 29 andits lockin p0 tion 31 be remove from locking re ati n i with the feelermember 1, so that the feelei' member may thereafter, on each, detecting beat of the lay, detectthe condition of the filling in the'shuttle, and be moved Ion itudinally of the shuttle only when the con ition of the filling has reachedsubstantial exhaustion.

It will be noted that the feeler member 1 contacts with the filling in the shuttle 'on each forwardmovement of the lay andth'ereby moves the slide 10 frontward. This charaoteristic action of the feeler member continues throughout the operation, and longitudinal movement of the feeler member 'during the major portion of weaving the $11 ply of filling from the shuttle is positive y prevented and thefeeler memberlocked but when the filling supply approaches substantial exhaustion, but before such substantial exhaustion isr eached,'the feeler lock meets the side wall of the shuttle as hereinbefore noted, and causes the locking portion of the feeler lock to be withdrawn from lockingposition with relation to the feeler so that the feeler may thereafter act independently of the look. i

The stand 11 may be appropriately secured to the loom frame by. any desired means V such, for instance, as the slot34, Fig. 1, and i v bolts 35 ,and adjustment thereof in position in, the shuttle wall and shuttle may be e ected by suitable means such as the adjusting'bolts 36; a

In order that the locking portion 3 1-of the feeler lock may be prevented from rising too high under the influence of the spring 32, the feeler member may be'pr'ovidj e'd with n a side prog'ection 37 beneath which the end,

eele'r' lock may be confined 32 of the It will be'obvious that changes may be made in ther'elation of parts and their": an

ticulars of strueture without departing rom the true scope of the invention as; defined by the claims.

What is claimed is I 1. In a feeler motion for looms, the c'ombination of a single feeler member havln a portion to engage and be held'by the filhng from movement longitudinally of the shuttle on each detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of filling and to be then moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the front- Ward push thereon, a lock for normally preventing filling control of the feeler until the filling has reached a predetermined degree of exhaustion and then freeing it. that the feeler may beheld from movements longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with a the filling alone until the filling becomes -to free the feeler to such movement when the filling approaches exhaustionsaid feeler having-an 'end portion to engagethe remain ing filling vand prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when -freed from thelock control until the filling reaches the desired degree of exhaustion.

'3. A feelermotion for loomsfeomprising a feeler-mounted for movement forward in unison with the lay by contact with the filling r carrier in the shuttle and for displace ment longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling has reached suchadegree of exhaustion that the feeler contacts with the'surface of the filling carrier, a lock to prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling approaches exhaustion and to then free the ieeler, said feeler having a single filling-engaging end portion for 'preven'tin movement of the feeler longitudinally o ,the shuttle after the feeler is unlocked provided a working supply of filling 4. A feeler motion for looms, comprising a feeler having a single contactingportionto receive the impact from the filling or car rier as the'lay heats up to move, the feeler frontward, said feelerbeing mounted for displacement longitudinally of the-shuttle by the forward pressure upon the feeler. when vthe filling'is substantially exhausted, anactuatoroperatively combined with and topartake of the movement of the feeler, a controller adapted to be actuated'by the- .fr'ontward movement of the actuator when' the-feeler has been displaced-longitudinally of the shuttle,- a lock normally acting to prevent. feeleidisplacement longitudinally of the shuttle, and, means actuated by move 'ment'of the lay for tripping vthe look when .the filling-:aipproatehes substantial (ethane tion, the single contacting:portion'of the feeler acting, when the feeler is unlocked, to prevent lon itudinal movement of the feeler until the H ling has become substantially exhausted. v I

In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, a stand secured to the feeler slide having a lug and aspring supporting seat formed integral therewith, a feeler on said lug having a single fillingengaging portion to engage the filling and be held thereby from movement longitudinally of the shuttle on each detecting beat until substantial exhaustion of filling and then bemoved longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push,- alock gpivotally carried by-the stand to prevent movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle until.

- the filling has reached a predetermined de' gree of exhaustion, a spring carried in the seat of the stand to maintain the lockin lockmg position and 'yield to permit'unlocking movement of the lock that the feeler may be moved longitudinally of the shut tle'when, the filling by substantial exhauss tion is no longer able to restrain such movement. I

I 6. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler slide, a stand secured to the rear portion of the feeler slide, a feeler, a

feeler lock, and aspring seat carried by the stand, said, feele'r having a single feeler portion to be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the filling 'aifter the feeler has been freed by the lock until substantial exhaustion of filling, and means actuated by the feeler for initiat ing replenishment of filling.

7.--In a feeler motion for looms, the 001m bination of, a feeler carrier, a feeler member movable longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward push thereon and held-from such longitudinal movement by engagement with the filling on a detecting beat until 'substantial exhaustion thereof, a lock for preventing movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling has been depleted'to a predetermined extent and then freeingthe feeler to the control of the filling that the feeler may be heldfrom movement longitudinally of 'theshuttle by engagement with the filling alone until substantial exhaustion of filling, and then be moved longitudinally of the'sh'uttl'e by the frontward pushof the engaged surface-with in the shuttle. I

8. A feeler motion'fo'r looms, comprising, in combination, afeeler member adapted to enter the shuttle andbe moved longitudinally by the frontward push ,on each detecting bei t. and held .irom movement longitudinally "of the shuttle by-engagement' w1th the filling until substantial exhaustion theretle and consequent disturbance of thefilling' by the feeler until the filling lms reached a for initiating replenishment of filling when yn'edewrmined degree of exhaustion, and .the feeler member i alls to be held from" thereupon freeing the feeler member to the movennmt longitudinally of the shuttle by 10 control ofmthe filling, that it-muy be moved the filling on a detecting beat.

5 longitudinally of the shuttle by the front- In testimony whereof, I have signed my Ward push of a surface within the shuttle, name. and means actuated by the feeler member ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

